Book-remover.



M. A. MoQUILLAN.

BOOK REMOVER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1909. RENEWED SEPT. 25, 1911. 1',o25,41 5.

- v Patented May 7,1912.

' I 1 3141mm ten I I V aflouwq MARY A. McQUIL-LAN, OZE GREELEY, KANSAS.

BOOK-REMOVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May *7, 1912.

Application filed. August 31, 1909, Serial No. 515,420. Renewed September 25, 1911. Serial No. 651,294.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY A. MOQUILLAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Greeley, in the county of Anderson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Book-Removers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for aiding in the removal of books from a bookcase without injury to the back of the book.

It is well known that where books fit compactly upon a shelf it is common to pull the selected book out by taking hold of the upper edge of the back, and sometimes considerable force is required to remove the book. This results in more or less damage to the backs of the books, and they become broken, loosened and in course of time the back and cover become entirely separated from the book itself.

My invention consists of a movable felt covered finger which engages the front edge of the book and pushes the same outward, together with means for supporting said finger and also for permitting it to slide into position to engage any of a number of books.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation showin the device applied, a number of books being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through a portion of a bookcase, the device being shown in full lines in normal position,

an adjusted position being shown in dotted lines, a book being also shown in dotted lines in two positions. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating the manner of mounting the sliding finger.

In constructng the invention I employ a brass bar 1 having downwardly angled end portions 2 which end portions are secured by means of screws to the ends of a bookcase, the said bar 1 being arranged above the shelf upon which the books to be engaged rest, and at a suflicient distance to permit the books to stand upon the shelf and beneath the bar 1. Sliding along said bar is a cross-shaped metal bracket 3, the arms of which are provided with side flanges 4E and 5, the flanges of two of said arms, indicated at 4, are bent over upon the underside of said arms and engage beveled side edges of the bar 1, so that the said bracket 3 slides freely along said bar. The flanges 5 of the two other arms are bent upwardly and sliding upon these arms and between the flanges 5 is a metal strip 6 theinner end portion of which is angled and extends downwardly as shown at 7 the outer face of said depending end portion which is the face adjacent the books, being covered with felt or any other suitable fabric 8. As the strip 6 slides freely in the bracket 8 and transversely with respect to the bar 1 it will be obvious that by grasping the forward end of said strip, which is perforated as shown at 9 to form a convenient finger hold, the depend ing finger 7 can be moved back and forth transversely with respect to the book shelf. Normally the finger 7 depends back of the books and as the bar 1 is above the books the bracket 3 and metal strip 6 can be moved along the bar 1 until the finger 7 is in position to engage the book desired, and then by drawing the strip 6 forward the finger 7 will engage the book and. will push the same outwardly a distance sufficient to enable the book to be readily grasped by the hand and entirely removed, thus avoiding any necessity of catching a corner of the back, or without exerting any destructive pull upon the back and cover.

It will be obvious that the parts above mentioned may be of any suitable material, and the bar 1, bracket 3 and strip 6 may be of brass, or it may be nickel-plated or formed of any other suitable material.

What I claim is 1. In a book removing device, the combination with a book shelf, of a bar arranged above and parallel to said shelf, and a transversely movable finger slidably carried by said bar.

2. The combination with a book shelf, a bar arranged above and parallel to said shelf, and an angled strip slidably carried by said bar, the strip being movable both longitudinally and transversely with respect to the bar.

3. The combination with a book shelf, of a bar supported above and parallel to the shelf, a cross-shaped bracket slidable longitudinally upon said bar, and an angled strip slidably carried by the bracket, the said strip being at right angles to the bar.

4. The combination with a bookcase, of a bar arranged above and parallel to a shelf of the case, a bracket slidable along said bar, a metal strip sliding in the bracket and at right angles to the bar, the inner end portion of said strip being bent to form a finger, and a suitable cushion secured upon said finger, said cushion being adapted to free movement lengthwise of the book case engage the front edge of a book. and a limited transverse movement, and 10 5. The combination With a book shelf, of means for supporting said strip.

an angled strip havin a horizontal portion 7 and a depending po rtio-n, the depending MARY MOQUILLAN' portion resting back of the books on said Witnesses: shelf and the horizontal portion being mov- Mrs. C. Kmnrn, able above the books, the said strip having a C. F. RAMsAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, 1L0. 

